1. Field
The present invention relates to Location Based Services (LBS) and in particular to the activation of LBS applications on mobile communication devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Location Based Services (LBS) are typically used by mobile device users in order to access and receive information via the user's mobile device based on the geographical location of the mobile device. Currently, LBSs offer a vast range of services for the mobile device user based on the mobile devices geographical location such as identifying the mobile device location on a map, identifying the nearest item of interest to the mobile device user such as the nearest Automated Teller Machine (ATM), informing the mobile device user of the local surrounding area, targeting adverts to the mobile device from local businesses and so on. The number of possible and uses of LBSs are vast and covers many topics from information services to entertainment services including even location based games.
Accordingly, an essential aspect of LBSs is to determine the geographical location of the mobile device using the LBSs. Currently, there are two main methods of determining the geographical location of a mobile device. The first method is to determine the location of the mobile device by identifying the cell that the mobile device is in communication with and the second method is to determine the location of the mobile device using the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Considering the first method mentioned above, a typical mobile network comprises many cells where each cell comprises at least one Base Transceiver Station (BTS) which provide network coverage for the cell. Thus, by identifying the cell in which the mobile device currently resides an approximate geographical location of the mobile device can be determined. However, this method only provides an approximate geographical location of the mobile device because only the cell can be identified and not whereabouts in the cell the mobile device is actually located. In an urban environment the accuracy of this method of identifying the cell in which the mobile device currently resides can be as good as a few hundred meters radius from the position of the BTS serving the cell in urban areas, but as poor as 40 km radius from the position of the BTS serving the cell in rural areas. Accordingly, the accuracy in terms of being able to determine a geographical area in which the mobile device resides depends on the known range of the particular BTS serving the mobile device.
Thus, this method of identifying the cell has the problem that it will only identify a geographical area surrounding the BTS serving the cell that the mobile device is currently in communication with. However, most LBSs require a more accurate determination of the geographical location of the mobile device in order to provide the information and data that the user of the mobile device requires.
The second method of determining the location of a mobile device is by using the Global Positioning System (GPS) which is a well-known and standard technology. Nowadays, most mobile devices are equipped with GPS receivers which enable the mobile device to determine its location to a high degree of accuracy and often to within a few meters. However, the problem with using GPS based location determination on mobile devices is that it is very battery intensive and therefore will run down the mobile device battery if used constantly to track and determine the location of the mobile device.
LBSs are typically applications often developed and provided by third parties. The applications are installed on the user's mobile device to provide the information and services based on the determined location of the mobile device. Most LBS applications require an accurate determination of the location of the mobile device in order to provide relevant information and services to the user of the mobile device regarding points of interest in the vicinity of the mobile device.
The third party LBS application needs to be running on the mobile device which is tracking its own location in order to provide the user of the mobile device information regarding a point of interest that the mobile device is in the vicinity of. However, the user of the mobile device may not have activated the third party LBS application or the user may not have activated GPS on their mobile device due to battery considerations.
Accordingly, there is a need for a more efficient manner in utilising the LBS applications whilst taking into consideration the network resource usage and the mobile device resource usage requirements.